| Hubcaps: The History of the Great Cover-Up |
11 Apr |
Now wait a minuteare they called hubcaps or wheel covers? Is there a difference between the two? And while were at it, why did they start using hubcaps to begin with? These and similar questions have baffled the great minds of the world for many years. So to get to the bottom of these questions, its best to examine the long, tortuous and yes, actually interesting history of the automobile hubcap.
Car enthusiasts have had a running love affair with hubcaps for decades. Some say that the art deco styling of the famous Chrysler Building in New York is a tribute to the hubcap. But, how did hubcaps come about in the first place? Well, originally there was a functional necessity for the cap. See at first, autos were made with wooden spokes like a buggy or wagon wheel. The wooden spokes connected the outer steel rim to the center hub which contained the wheel bearing. The wheel bearing was packed with grease. Something was needed to cover the center hub which could keep the dust out and the grease in. What was needed was a hub cap. Some people today actually spell it hub cap rather than the technically correct spelling of hubcap. So this hub cap (which could have also been called a dust cover) came into existence strictly for functional reasons, but it was a small center cap designed to go over the center hub leaving the wooden spokes exposed. Unfortunately, the wooden spoke wheels were not long for this world. Although they were varnished and sometimes even decorated with pin-striping when new, they would soon begin to age and crack and look pretty lousy. You could always hear from a distance a car with aging wooden spoke wheels creaking down the road.
In the late twenties and early thirties, steel wire-spoke wheels began to replace the wooden spoke wheels. These also required the center cap over the hub, which still left the steel welded wire spokes exposed. By the thirties, function gave way to style and decoration. The hubcaps became larger and stamped with the auto manufacturers name in brass or stainless steel and were utilized as a decorative design feature, but still covered only the hub. The wire-spoke wheels were a problem because they were hard to keep clean and made an annoying wind noise as the cars would go down the street.
In 1934, Cadillac fitted its new model with a stainless steel disc which was held in place by the screw-on center hubcap which fit over the top of the disc. The disc actually covered most of the wheel, covering up the wire-spokes completely. This new styling feature gave the wheel a luxurious streamlined look.
So where does the term wheel covers come in? In 1938, Cadillac began using pressed steel wheels similar to what is used today. They covered the wheels with luxurious full sized hubcapsor wheel covers. So the term wheel cover was born, but for some reason the term hubcap has never yielded its top position as the most commonly used term for that thing-a-ma-jig that covers up the wheel of a car. The important thing is that Cadillac made the full sized wheel cover the symbol of luxury and class. Soon, hot rodders began to seek out the old Cadillac wheel covers for their 1930-1950s custom rods. Probably the most classic Cadillac hubcap was the heavy, brilliantly chromed 1950 wheel cover nicknamed the Sombrero because its profile resembled a sombrero hat. Cadillac owners soon began to realize that their hubcaps were very much in demand. They would usually figure this out when they would go to get in their car and happen to notice that they no longer had any hubcapsouch; another victim of hub capping (hubcap stealing) which was the sad state of affairs in the forties and fifties.
Youve probably heard the term Moon (or racing disc) hubcap which became popular in the fifties. Interestingly enough, the first spun aluminum Moon wheel cover was not invented in the fifties. Bob Rufi, the fastest man alive in 1940, used spun aluminum hubcaps from, of all things, a WWI Jenny war plane to help streamline his 140 mph record breaking speed machine at the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Early drag racers used to soup up their cars and on weekends drive them to the drags. Drag racing soon became as American as apple pie. As cars got faster, some safety issues arose. The hubcaps had a nasty habit of flying off and giving unprepared spectators a new part in their hair. New rules were instated that required drag racers to remove their hubcaps before racing, for safety reasons and also for proper inspection of the wheels. Racers began just leaving their hubcaps off after the drags and driving around town like that. Soon, seeing a car with no hubcaps came to mean drag racer. Drag racers began painting their wheels and decorating them with chrome lug nuts and chrome dust covers (center caps). Some believe this led to chrome wheels followed by the mag (magnesium) and aluminum wheels which became very popular in the sixties.
Finally, in the 1970s auto manufacturers began fitting their new vehicles with ABS plastic hubcaps. These wheel covers look like chrome or brushed aluminum caps. By the 1980s, ABS plastic wheel covers virtually replaced the use of steel hubcaps by auto manufacturers. Although plastic might sound cheap or flimsy, the fact is, ABS plastic is rugged and durable and most importantly, it is light. The lighter the hubcap, the less likely that it will fly off. Now, you need to know that some plastic wheel covers made by auto manufacturers are not that great at all; they fly off too easily. Being sturdy, rugged and light alone is not enough. The wheel cover needs to have a good solid retention system. The best is an all steel 360 degree retention ring that can really grip the steel wheel and help the hubcap stay on the wheel.
Now that you have become an expert on the world history of hubcaps, you can dazzle all of your friends at the next party with your amazing knowledge of the mysterious hubcap. Well, maybe not dazzle themmaybe more like not completely bore them to death. Hopefully, you enjoyed the overview and actually learned something along the way.
Tags: Art Deco, Car Enthusiasts, Center Cap, Center Hub, Chrysler Building, Correct Spelling, Dust Cover, Functional Reasons, History Of The Automobile, Hub Cap, Love Affair, Pin Striping, Steel Rim, Steel Wire, Thirties, Wagon Wheel, Wheel Covers, Wire Spoke Wheels, Wire Spokes, Wooden SpokesRelated posts
read comments (0)| Do More Than Just Cover Your Honda Wheels |
18 Feb |
Out in the market today are many types of wheel covers specifically made for your beloved Honda. Honda wheel covers actually do more for your Honda than just cover your wheels.
Wheel covers are commonly mixed up with hubcaps. However, looking more closely at these two, wheel covers cover the entire wheel of your vehicle, while, on the other hand, hubcaps, cover only the hub, or the center of your wheel. These wheel covers are made from tough material they are created and manufactured using plastic or metal retainers, so as to facilitate better and easier fastening to your Honda wheels. They are clipped on your vehicles wheel to accentuate your wheels and, at the same time, protect it from mud, grime, snow, dirt, water, and other elements that could prove to be damaging or corrosive to your wheels.
Honda wheel covers are not necessarily considered a requirement for your car, however, they can actually improve your wheels appearance greatly. You see, wheel covers have been created to cover your entire wheel and conceal from view the ugly bolts that attach your wheel to its axle. And along that line, it adds distinction and uniqueness to your Honda wheels to your Hondas overall appearance.
In choosing your wheel covers, you may opt for those that have been especially manufactured and created to be durable, lightweight, able to withstand really extreme and excessive temperatures, and also created to be resistant to corrosion. Wheel covers that had been made just merely for decorative purposes may actually damage easily and damage your wheels as well.
Tags: Appearance, Bolts, Decorative Purposes, Dirt, Distinction, Elements, Excessive Temperatures, Fastening, Honda, Honda Honda, Honda Wheels, Hondas, Hub, Hubcaps, Mud, Retainers, Uniqueness, Wheel, Wheel Cover, Wheel CoversRelated posts
| Are You Buying Sports Seats For Your Car? |
14 Dec |
Purchasing sports seats for your car is considered as one of the ways of sprucing up and upgrading your vehicle. In fact, it is one of the not so used ways to customize a vehicle. You see, for most people, the common ways of upgrading a vehicle would be to change wheels, wheel covers, car seat covers, carpets, bumpers, and grilles.
Changing your cars seats to sports seats may not be so popular however, there are some matters to take into consideration when you have decided that sports seats may be the best thing that could happen to your vehicle. After all, overlooked as they may seem, sports seats actually do not just provide your car with a sporty and aesthetic appeal but they also give you and your passengers comfort through long or short drives.
Before doing anything else, you should ask yourself how much are you willing to spend and how much could you really afford. By answering this first question, you would be able to check and ask around as per any sports seats that would fall within your budget range. Remember that sports seats come in a variety of options each more sophisticated than the next. In fact, there are even sports seats that come with electronic adjustments of the lumbar support.
If you have no idea whatsoever as per the kind of sports seats that you would like for your car, you can check out automotive magazines. Or you can also visit automotive websites. If you choose to do so, you can also try contacting manufacturers to get the names of dealers of sports seats in your locality.
Upon visiting an auto parts store that offers sports seats, make sure that you ask the stores personnel to show you their collection of these. That way, you can personally inspect the seats so you could choose which ones to purchase. Consider the seats safety features. Make sure that you choose those that has a high and close back rest which has the capacity to support and protect your back. Also make sure that it supports not only your back but your whole body as well.
Tags: Aesthetic Appeal, Auto Parts Store, Automotive Magazines, Back Rest, Budget Range, Bumpers, Car Carpets, Car Seat, Car Seats, Cars Sports, Grilles, Locality, Lumbar Support, People, Safety Features, Sports Car, Sports Seats, Wheel, Wheel Covers, WheelsRelated posts
